Phytochemical screening of the leaves extracts of Stachys mouretii

The aim of this study was to perform phytochemical screening of the secondary metabolites present in leaves extracts of Stachys mouretii. The plant was collected in April 2018 at the forest of Talasmtan in the region of Ouazzane, Morocco. The dried powdered leaves of Stachys mouretii (160 g) were extracted exhaustively by Soxhlet apparatus with increasing polarity of solvents such as, hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The identification of secondary metabolites was carried out via phytochemical screening using qualitative analyses based on a set of staining / precipitation reactions and thin layer chromatography techniques. These separating analyses use organic solvents and reagents allowing the detection of the sought molecules in a specific way. The yields that have been found are 3.9 % for hexane extract, 5.5 % for ethyl acetate and 18.8 % for methanolic extract. Phytochemical screening showed that the leaves extracts of Stachys mouretii contain important secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols and flavonoids. In conclusion, the analytical techniques used confirm the richness of this species in secondary metabolites that can play an important role in preventing the progression of many ailments.